Improvement in brick-machines



J. v.- TOM PKINS. improvement in Brick-Machines NO. H4,884.

Patented May 16, 187i.

ama sale JAMES V. TOMPKINS, OF CANANDAIGUA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOHNOAVENDER, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

Letters Patent No. 114,884, dated May 16, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRICK-MACHINES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES V. TOMPKLNS, of Gau andaigua, in the county ofLenawee and State of Michigan, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Brick-making Machines; and I do declare that thefollowing is a true and accurate description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing and to the letters. of reference markedthereon and being a part of this specification, in which- Figure l isa'perspective of my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective of the jack-mold from the rear.

Figure 3 is a perspective 'of the cutting-knives'of the mud-mill,showing'the mode of attaching them to the vertical shaft.

Figure 4 is a perspective of one of the. forcing-knives or scrapers,which force the mud from the mud-mill into the jack-mold.

Figure 5 is a perspective of the device forworking the plunger in thejack-mold.

Figure 6 is a perspective of the table upon which the molds rest, and ofthe mechanism by means of which the molds are thrown out, and of thedevices for elevating or depressing the table, as may be required. V

Like letters refer to like parts in each figure.

The nature of this invention'relates to an improvement in theconstruction of brick-making machines intended to be run by horse orother. power, and to deliver the clay from the mud-mill directly into ajackmold, from which, by means of a suitable plunger, it isforceddirectly into the molds.

The invention consists in the arrangement of the principal operatingparts, constructed as more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing- A represents a mud-mill, secured to thetopof -a frame, B, to which is-also secured the other working parts ofthe machine.

0 is a vertical shaft, to which are secured the cutting-knives of thedevice, and which are constructed in the form shown in, fig. 3, markedD, and sleeved upon the vertical shaft .0 in such a manner that they.can be raised 'or lowered on the shaft, as may be desired.

E are forcing-scrapers, "also sleeved on said shaft, made in the formshown in fig. 4, secured near the bottom end of said shaft so as torotate in close proximity to the bottom of the mud-mill, to force thepuddled clay, through an opening in the front side of said mill, into acorresponding opening, F, in the rear side of the jack-mold G.

His a cut-ofi, working between the front of the mudmill and the rear ofthe jack-mold, at the opening F,

to regulate the flow of mud from the mill into the jackmold.

I is a table, resting loosely at the rear end upon setscrews J, whichare secured in the frame in such a manner that, by means of said screws,that end of the table may be raised or depressed at pleasure.

The front-end rests upon set-screws K, which are secured to therock-shaft L (which is operated by the crauk-lever-M) in such a mannerthat, by means of said screws K, the front end of the table may beadjusted to the same plane of the rear end.

When stone or other foreign substances enter the molds, and for theirremoval it becomes necessary to still further lower the front end of thetable, it may be done by partially rotating the shaft L by means of thecrank-lever M, thereby disengaging the upper ends of the set-screws Kfrom their hearing against the under side of the table, and allowing thefront end thereof to drop and rest upon the rock-shaft N, or upon anysuitable supports arranged'for the purpose.

The rock-shaft N is square, and properly journaled into the sides of theframe, and is caused to partially rotate by power applied to the leverO.

Outside the frame there is secured to said rockshaft the rigid cranks P,the upper ends of which are pivoted to the short arms Q, the oppositeends of which are in turn pivoted to the levers R.

These levers pass through links S or their equivalents, suspended fromthe pressure-barT of the plunger U, and are there pivotedto the sides ofthe mud-mill.

V is another rock-shaft, properly journaled into the sides of the frame,and operated by the lever W.

Near each end of this rock-shaft are secured cranks X, the opposite endsof which are pivotedto the curved arms Y, the opposite ends of which arein turn pivoted to the bar Z, which has a reciprocating motion on thetop rail of the frame.

The mud, being thrown into the mill and power applied to the shaftthereof, is mixed or puddled by the rotation of the cntting-kniyes D.

The forcing-scrapers E then force the clay through the opening F intothe jack-mold G, the cut-off H governing the flow, according to theconsistency of the clay and its consequent tendency to flow through the.opening faster or slower.

This jack-mold is so constructed thatits inner sides are beveled, beingwider at top than at the bottom, and said bottom is provided withsuitable openings, a, thronglrwhich the clay is forced intocorresponding molds upon the table, immediately below said openings.

\Vhen the jack-mold is filled a forward motion of the lever 0, throughthe intermediate connections above described, forces the plunger U intothe jackmold, and the clay is thereby driven through the openings in thebottom of said jack-mold into the molds below with such power that theclay entirely fills the corners of said molds and forms a brick withperfectly square corners,

The molds are inserted at A, and laid upon the rear end of the table,the arms Y being curved, as shown in the drawing, to allow this to bedone. I

A forward throw of the bar Z, by means of the lever \V and theintermediate connections hereinbefore described, forces the molddirectly under the bottom of the jack-mold, where it is filled, as abovedescribed.

The bar Z is then thrown back and another mold inserted, when anotherforward motion of said bar forces the mold which is under the jack-mold,and filled, forward upon the table, whence it may be removed, and theabove operations repeated at will.

As the molds, after being filled, are forced from under the jack-mold,they are struck by the lower front edge of the said jack-mold.

Should stones or other hard or foreign substances get into the molds andprevent their passage from under the jack-mold, the front end of thetable may be lowered by partially rotating the rock-shaft L, as abovedescribed. I

This device is not costly in construction, is easily and rapidly worked,can be operated by horse or other power, and is especially, calculatedfor use in those yards where the demand for bricks is not so large as torequire a large capital and more expensive machinery.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

In brick-making machines, the arrangement of the rock-shaft N, lever O,cranks P, arms Q, levers R, links S, pressure-bar T, and plunger U, whenconstructed and combined to operate substantially as and i for thepurposes herein set forth.

JAMES V. TOMPKINS. \Vitnesses:

Tnos. S SPRAGUE, H. F. EBERTS.

